Truck.



Patented May 29, I900. F. E. BROWN.

T R U C K (Application med Mar. 9; 1900.,

(No Model.)

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UNITED STA ES PATENT" 1 OFFICE.

FRED E. BROWN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOlS.

TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,629, dated May 29,1900. Application filed March 9 1900- Serial No. 3,042. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED E. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago,- in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Truck, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in trucks.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction oftrucks and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one designedespecially for use around depots and the like and capable of beingreadily raised and lowered to elevate its contents, so that they may beconveniently transferred to a car or wagon or other elevated place.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a truck constructedin accordance with this invention, the upper section or platform beinglowered. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, the upper section orplatform being raised. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, the partsbeing arranged as shown in Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlugs.

1 designates a lowerrectangular truckframe provided with front and rearaxles 2 and 3, having wheels 4, the front axle being pivotally mountedand being connected with a tongue 5 of the ordinary construction. Therectangular truck-frame is composed of side and end bars and issupported at its front portion bya cross-bar 6. Between the sides of thetruck-frame are pivoted the lower ends of links 7 and 8, consisting ofsubstantiallyrectangular frames extending across the truck-frame andprovided with upper and lower journals, the lower journals beingarranged in suitable bearings of the side bars of the truck-frame. Thelinks, which are parallel, extend rearward from the truckframe when anupper frame or platform 9 is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings, and the upper journals of the links are arranged insuitable bearings of the side faces of the said bars.

bars 10 of the frame or platform 9. By means of the links 7 and 8 theupper frame or platof bars 13, located at opposite sides of the truckand pivoted to the outer .faces of the side bars of theupper frame orplatform, at the front end thereof. The bars 13 are connected with theouter ends of the levers by means of a transverse rod 15, forming ahandle-bar and adapted to be readily grasped to swing the leversdownward to raise the platform or upper frame. The truck-frame isprovided at its front with opposite brackets or supports 16, arranged toreceive the levers 12 when the latter are swung downward to a horizontalposition and consisting of a transverse-bar secured 'to the lower faceof the front end bar of the truck-frame and extending beyond the sidesthereof and having its terminals bent upward to form arms, which arespaced from the sides of the truck-frame.

The upper frame or platform is adapted to be arranged at differentelevations, and it is prevented from dropping back by a hinged v brace17, substantially rectangular, as illustrated, in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, and provided at its bottom or engaging end withlaterallydisposed projections 18, arranged to engage ratchets 19,located at opposite sides of the side bars of the truck-frame, at theinner The hinged brace is composed of side bars, pivoted at their upperends tothe side bars of the platform or upper frame,- and transversebars connectingithe side bars. The lower ends of the side bars of thehinged brace are perforated for the reception of the reduced ends of therod 20, which forms the projections 18. The ratchets consist of barssecured to the inner faces of the sides of the lower or truck frame andprovided with notches or recesses beveled at one side, as clearly shownin Fig. 2, and forming shoulders at the opposite side to be engaged bythe said projections 18 of the hinged brace. The last recess or notch 19of each of the rack-bars is provided with vertical walls formingopposite shoulders adapted to hold the projection 18 of the hinged braceagainst movement in either direction. This prevents the upper frame orplatform from being drawn forward too far.

The hinged brace is disposed at an inclination when in engagement withthe ratchets of the lower or truck frame, and it is adapted to bereadily lifted out of such engagement by a rock-shaft 21, extendinglongitudinally of the truck-frame and provided at the front thereof witha handle 22 and journaled in 1 suitable bearings of the connecting-barsof the truck-frames. The handle 22, which is arranged at the front endof the rock-shaft, consists of a suitable grip secured to an arm of therock-shaft. The front end of the rockshaft is extended upward to providesuch arm, and the handle or grip, which extends forward or outward fromthe outer portion of the arm, forms a loop and is adapted to be readilygrasped by the operator. The rear end of the rock-shaft is journaled ina suitable bearing of a transverse bar 23, secured to the lower edges ofthe side bars of the truck-frame. The rock-shaftis provided with acrank-bend 24:, extending from the transverse bar 23 to the intermediatecross-bar, and is of substantially the same length as the ratchets,being adapted to engage the bottom of the hinged brace when theprojections 18 are in any of the notches or recesses. The crank-bend isadapted to swing the lower ongaging end of the hinged brace upward, andit provides a smooth surface, along which the brace slides as theplatform or truck-frame is lowered.

' The handle 22 of the rock shaft is arranged withina bracket or keeper25, consisting of a plate having inclined arms 26 at its ends tosupportthe handle of the rock-shaft and to prevent the same from dropping belowthe plane of the truck-frame and to support the crank-bend in positionfor disengaging the hinged brace. v

- g It will be seen that the truck is simple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that it is especially adapted for use atdepots and analogous places, and that it iscapable of being arrangedclose to the ground or other supporting-surface to receive a load and ofbeing readily swung upward to elevate the load on a level with a car,wagon, or other elevated place, so that the contents of the truck may beconveniently transferred therefrom to such car or wagon. Furthermore, itwill be seen that the lower end of the hinged brace may be readilydisengaged from the lower truck-frame to permit the upper frame orplatform to descend and that the rock- .ing upper and lower frames,links connectshaft is supported by the bracket or keeper in position forholding the brace out of engagement with the ratchets.

What is claimed is-- 1. A device of the class described comprising upperand lower frames, links connecting the frames, a brace hinged to one ofthe frames andengaging the other to maintain the upper frame in itsadjustment, and a rock-shaft arranged to engage the brace to release theupper frame, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising upper and lower frames,links connecting the frames, a brace hinged to the upper frame andarranged to engage the lower frame to support the upper frame in anelevated position, and a longitudinal rock-shaft mounted on the lowerframe and provided with a crank-bend arranged to engage the brace andhold the same out of engagement with the lower frame, substantially asdescribed.

3. A device of the class described compris- 9O ing the frames, a bracehinged to the upper frame and arranged to engage the lower frame, alongitudinal rock-shaft mounted on the lower frame and provided with acrankbend and having an arm, and a bracket or keeper arranged to receivethe arm and provided with opposite arms or portions for supporting therock-shaft and for limiting the, movement thereof,substantially asdescribed.

4. A device of the class described comprising upper and lower frames,links connecting the frames, ratchets mounted on the lower frame atopposite sides thereof, a brace hinged to the upper frame and providedwith projections for engaging the ratchets, and means for disengagingthe brace, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising upper and lower frames,links connecting the frames, levers fulcrumed on the lower frame atopposite sides thereof, bars pivoted to the upper frame, and atransverse rod c011- necting the outer ends of the bars and the leversand forming a handle, snbstantiallyas described.

6. A device of the class described comprising a truck-frame provided 'atopposite sides with brackets, a platform, links connecting the platformwith the truck-frame, levers fulcrumed on the truck-frame at oppositesides thereof and arranged to be supported by the brackets, and barsconnecting the levers with the platform, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses. I

FRED E. BROXVN.

\Vitnesses:

F. 0. BROWN, E. M. WILLoUeHBY.

